Mainstream: The Rise & Fall of Shadow the Hedgehog
by Elektrik Shadow
Summary: This is my 2nd fanfic. I don't really care about this one, so I'm rushposting it.
1. Chapter 1

I'm rush-posting this story to get it out of the way.

A new enemy; Dark Hedgehog, had arisen from Shadow's past to destroy the future, a task Shadow was originally assigned for. Sonic and the gang had to overcome this new threat, with a new weapon, the Elemental Emeralds. Upon stopping him, the emeralds were put away safely, hopefully, to never be needed again. Sadly, Shadow appeared to be dead. But what did Shadow do? Why was he abandoning them yet again? And what will he find... all I can tell you, is the story... a story that will explain all... a story, called...

**The Rise and Fall of**

**Shadow the Hedgehog**

Shadow stared down at the group as they left the island, the wind blowing in his face. "I'm sorry... but I have to figure some things out... until next time." He turned and walked away. "I have to find out the truth... who _am_ I... I guess I should start looking in the crash site of the ARK." As he reached the end of the island, he jumped off. Landing on the Mainland, he set out for the restricted area, which lay just beyond the hill. When he reached the site, it was deserted, and had been for about a year. He walked past the "DO NOT CROSS" tape, and began searching for the entrance. After circling the site several times, he decided to make his own entrance. All the computers were still fully operational, despite the fact that they were outdated and dusty. He entered the core and began hacking the mainframe. "Now, if I can just reach the security files... done." He clicked "open," and began watching a security tape dating several years ago, 1 year before Eggman reactivated him.

The tape was recorded here in the core, back then everything was shiny. Some kind of official was talking. "Dr. Gerald Robotnik, the ARK has been officially ordered shut down. I know how much your life's work means to you... but the government feels that these tests shouldn't continue, especially after... well, you know, the subject that escaped." Shadow sat still watching, knowing that the "subject" was Dark Hedgehog. "I mean, that took a lot of money to cover up..." Gerald interrupted him.

"Shut up! If the government doesn't want my precious experiment..." The official began to shout to match Gerald.

"Sir, they're not pinning this all on one experiment!" Gerald still yelled.

"I said shut up! I know why they want to shut me down! They're afraid of 'Project Shadow,' if they want fear, they can have fear!" The official then made his mistake.

"Gerald, you can't be seriously thinking about releasing... _it_ into the wild!" This infuriated Gerald.

"HOW DARE YOU CALL HIM _IT_?" Gerald was now breathing very hard as he messed with his computer. "No, I will not release him, my grandson; Eggman shall do that for me. I'll leave clues, he's a smart lad, he'll figure it out! Maria, go deactivate Shadow, now!" Maria stood up, glad to be able to leave earshot of the argument. The camera now changed and started to follow her. She walked into Shadow's living quarters. Shadow woke up in curiosity.

"Maria, what are doing here?" Maria's voice was soft.

"I'm sorry Shadow... my father wants me to deactivate you..." Shadow looked down.

"I understand." Maria went over and hugged him.

"My father wants you to destroy the world..." Now Maria was beginning to look down, but quickly looked up, hoping to reassure him. "But I want you to promise me something." Shadow replied, except with emotion, something Shadow no longer has.

"Anything Maria." Her voice began to lift.

"I want you to give the people of Earth a chance to be happy, give them a chance to live, not to fear." Shadow looked back up.

"I promise you, Maria." With that, she gestured him into his capsule. Once inside, she waved goodbye, and pressed the deactivation switch. Then the video cut off onto an automated one.

"Shadow, I know you're listening!" It was Dr. Gerald Robotnik. "Don't forget your purpose, you are the ultimate life form, use your skills, harness your full power, I've been watching you... you have been disobeying my orders! Now, prove yourself to me that it was not a mistake to not help Dark Hedgehog defeat you!" Shadow looked at the screen in disbelief, disregarding everything he was hearing. But that suddenly changed when he heard the next line. "Activate, Project Omen." Shadow's eyes instantly flickered red. He stood up, and looked half way down still staring at the screen.

"Dr. Gerald Robotnik, I promise you... REVENGE!" Shadow instantly left as the man on the screen began to laugh out loud.

Shadow was walking with his head held low. Not looking in any direction other than straight ahead. "I need an army." Shadow's voice was now monotoned and flat, a classic 'I'm better than everyone else and for that reason I'm bored' tone. "I'll just take Eggman's" Shadow jumped up to Emerald Island, his powers seemed to have tripled. Then he took the fake emerald that lay at his grave. "Chaos Control!" Shadow appeared at Island 1. "So..." Shadow was looking around, he then yelled out. "EGGMANNNNNN!" The whole island could here him. He suddenly noticed a security droid that had noticed him as well. It flew over to a rock and disappeared. Shadow followed and destroyed the artificial rock revealing a long tunnel that led into a small storage room. He went through the door and was immediately attacked by a robot. Shadow jumped over it as it charged underneath him. As Shadow landed, he made a small dash maneuver of his own. While not moving a muscle, his body seemed to become transparent as he came into contact with the robot, destroying the little resistance that was once there. He soon saw the security droid again as it opened to reveal a screen. It turned on, and Eggman soon became visible.

"You, you're still alive, what do want!" Shadow smiled at his successful surprise.

"I have a proposition for you." Eggman had a funny feeling about this 'proposition.'

"What kind of a proposition are you... proposing?" Shadow started off slow.

"Well, you give me your army, and I make you 2nd in command." Eggman laughed at this.

"2nd in command? Why do you need MY army anyway?" Shadow tilted his head.

"Eggman, Eggman, Eggman, do you think I'd take away your army for some petty little scheme? I know how to take over this world, and I'm going to do just that. Dr. Gerald Robotnik will have his revenge for shutting down ARK." Eggman was now serious.

"And just what made you decide you wanted to do that?" Shadow destroyed the security droid. Eggman stared at the staticky screen, when all of the sudden, to his left came Shadow, startling him.

"What the-" Shadow gave him no time to speak.

"I have decided that it's high time I prove myself." Now Eggman was confused.

"Prove yourself to who?" Shadow knew of Eggman's ignorance, but decided to play around.

"Why, Dr. Gerald Robotnik of course." Eggman was now getting fed up with the conversation.

"My great grandfather is dead!" Shadow smiled and shook his head.

"Poor Eggman, lost in his world of failure. The good doctor is very much alive... and I don't think he would like it if you refused to give me what I need." Eggman didn't believe a word of it, but he had a plan, a long yet rewarding plan.

"Fine... I'll give my army's allegiance to you, but if you show any signs of failure, I'm pulling the plug!" Shadow suddenly looked serious.

"I was created for perfection, and so it is perfection that I shall create."

Shadow stood at the front of the main hall, Eggman's army sitting quietly in front of him. "Listen up, as of right now, you are under MY control, YOU, will NEVER, leave that position. YOU, are my slave, my tools, my ladder to world domination. Here in 2nd command, is Eggman, Colonel Eggman; I am General Shadow... and you, ARE MY ARMY! WELCOME, TO PROJECT, OMEN!" The hall became filled with conversation as everyone began whispering to one another. "Colonel Eggman, get them ready for training, I want them to be given ranks. They are: Private, Corporal, Officer, and I have 'special plans' for our two Commanding Officers. Well? Get to it!" Eggman jumped back at Shadow's sudden raise of voice.

"Yes General Shadow, I shall begin immediately." Shadow said his last words for the hour as he turned and walked to his private quarters.

"It's high time the Omen Army was issued."

Eggman began training the recruits. Many of them were well played out, however there were a few nuts and bolts. "Good, good. You there, come here." He was pointing to Scratch, one of his first creations. "You will make a fine Officer. You two, over there, you will be Corporals, the rest of you, you are all Privates." He looked around at the faces of the first batch of trainees. "Congratulations, you have become the first ever, to enter the Omen Army!" When Eggman returned, he was greeted by Shadow.

"So, how did they do?" Eggman was very confident.

"The first batch was good, one Officer, two Corporals, and 3 Privates." Shadow nodded as he looked around.

"Good... however, we shall not see progress without a leader." Eggman looked puzzled.

"Sir?" Shadow pulled out a piece of paper.

"Here, I've devised a list of objects needed for, Project Alias." Eggman looked the list over.

"It will take a week to acquire these items. And who knows how long to actually build them." Shadow nodded.

"Then so be it, just get it done." Eggman hesitated, careful not to anger him.

"How are we going to get the Master Emerald?" Shadow waved his hand at Eggman.

"Just leave that to me. Oh, and Colonel, don't screw this up... remember, an omen is never forgiving."

A flash of light could be seen a mile away as Shadow appeared in the Emerald Plains. He looked around, Knuckles was nowhere to be seen, which wasn't exactly a good thing. Shadow walked slowly and quietly towards the Master Emerald. "Ah hah! Got you now!" Knuckles came flying from Shadow's left. The awkward angle made it impossible for Knuckles to identify him. Shadow jumped, sped towards the emerald, and turned in mid-air to fire a small Chaos Spear to knock Knuckles out. Shadow grabbed the Master Emerald, and left. When Knuckles awoke, he had no memory of those few minutes worth of events.


	2. Chapter 2

A few months later.

Eggman came through the door to Shadow's private quarters. "General Shadow, meet your Commanding Officers." Shadow looked on as Project Alias had stepped through the door.

"Good... begin the attack!" A huge door was opened as the Omen Army marched onward towards their first destination, Angel City, the capitol of their beautiful land. There were more than two thousand soldiers marching into the soon to be headquarters of a new world order. Once all the Privates and Corporals were in the city, they stopped. Soon, the Officers came flying in above them. The attack began. Several buildings fell down in only a few seconds of the battle. One fourth of the city had already been taken in mere minutes. The National Guard only slowed their process. When their movement was halted, reinforcements had arrived, Project Alias. They flew twenty feet apart, at the same speed, at the same time. They both stopped, and looked at the battle, just as calm as a butterfly would on a flower. Then out of nowhere, they charged into battle. When they got within range, their identity was clear. They were, Metal Shadow, and Metal Sonic. It seemed like the army was doing nothing as Project Alias tore away at the city. Shadow was high in the clouds overlooking the entire city. Sonic and Knuckles were talking on top of a building. Sonic was trying to see through all the darkness.

"I can't see who it is, but he must be the cause of it all." Sonic was pointing up at Shadow, unaware of his identity. "Knuckles, throw me up there."

"Got it." Knuckles threw Sonic up into the air, where he transformed into Super Sonic. Shadow soon became visible.

"Shadow!" Shadow turned around towards Sonic.

"Sonic, so glad you could make it." Shadow was speaking in a sarcastic voice. Sonic couldn't believe his eyes.

"What are you doing!"

"I'm fulfilling my destiny, I am awakening Project Omen." Sonic wasn't satisfied with the reply.

"But why!"

"It is what I was created for." Sonic shook his head.

"No, I can't let you do this."

"Oh I'm well aware of that, which is why I've come prepared." Shadow pulled out the Master Emerald. "Project Alias, activate!" Metal Shadow and Metal Sonic soon came up and charged using the Master Emerald. They soon became Metal Hyper Shadow, and Metal Super Sonic. Sonic looked in awe. Shadow's eyes flickered red. "Attack this pathetic being!" The two Commanding Officers attacked Sonic, badly damaging him. He fell and landed next to Knuckles. "Forget Sonic, continue attacking the city!" Shadow watched and laughed as the helpless citizens cried for help. With non stop fighting, in one week, Shadow had control of the entire Mainland, and most all of the floating islands. General Shadow, was now, the ruler of all that still remains of his rampage, the Omen Army's rampage.

Forests were ordered to be burned, buildings were ordered destroyed, there was no place to hide. Sonic and the others stood no chance against all the chaos. Everyday marked an island's destruction. The only island that was spared, was Emerald Island, only because of its mysterious power. And so of course, that's where Sonic and the few survivors hid. Every now and then they'd get lucky and destroy a base, but where one fell, two appeared. There were no longer any beautiful plains to look at, no lush green trees, all desert, and wasteland; and General Shadow was proud of all of it. His robots and squads ravaged the land relentlessly. Not a day went by without death and destruction. Even after several years, tragedy always seemed to find Sonic and the few survivors.

It wasn't long before Sonic and Knuckles started retaliating. Shadow was walking through the forest of Emerald Island, when Knuckles glided in and knocked him down. Sonic too, soon came in to view. Shadow looked at them both. "So, you think you can take on me? You have no idea what's in store for you!" Knuckles stepped forward.

"Shut your trap and fight!" Shadow shook his head.

"As you wish." Shadow jumped up as Sonic soon followed. Shadow stopped and waited for Sonic to arrived, when he did, Shadow slammed him down to the ground. Knuckles suddenly jumped on a tree and began climbing it.

"That's it, I'm not gonna let you get away with this!" Shadow smiled.

"Alright, I'll give you a free shot." Knuckles climbed up and punched him. Shadow was surprised at the effect. But he quickly regained full strength, and landed. Sonic and Knuckles moved in on him slowly.

"You guys are pathetic; let me show you true power! Chaos Blast!" A gigantic blast came from Shadow and threw every thing back. Sonic and Knuckles were badly damaged, yet they stood up, pushing on the fight. Shadow sped towards Knuckles and uppercutted him, then jumped kicked him into several trees. Shadow landed facing Sonic.

"Shadow, you need to stop this nonsense now!" Shadow grappled him and kept him still.

"Nonsense? You think fulfilling my destiny is nonsense? No, what you speak of is nonsense!" Shadow increased his grip. "You don't know the half of what I've seen... I've seen the future, it is my hands! It is my destiny to avenge Dr. Gerald Robotnik!" Sonic gasped at this.

"What? Gerald Robot- you've got to be kidding me, he's dead!" Just then, Knuckles came in with a Power Punch, but missed and hit Sonic. Shadow then dropped Sonic and punched Knuckles, knocking him out. Shortly after Shadow became dizzy, and almost lost his balance. Sonic was still focused enough to see this. Shadow soon stood straight up, and turned to them.

"What... no, what's happening to me?" Sonic could barely speak.

"Shadow... help, us, please..." Shadow had a lost look on his face.

"I-I want to... but, I can't." Shadow stared at his fist, shaking, as he took out his emerald. "Here, this is all I can do." An energy beam came out of the emerald and into Sonic and Knuckles, healing them both. Shadow began to walk away when he turned his head to say one last thing. "Sonic... meet me, when the time is right, you'll know when, and where, don't worry, I have a plan." Shadow then continued on his way, as Sonic and Knuckles laid there resting.

Some time later

It had been a while since the day Shadow had become general of the Omen Army (No one knows exactly how many years it's been). Shadow was sitting in his quarters, thinking out loud. "I've taken control of the world... and I've got the only ones who refuse to obey me stuck into hiding... my task is almost complete... Colonel Eggman, come into my quarters." General Shadow was now speaking over the intercom.

"Yes General Shadow?" Shadow was fiddling with a map of the world.

"It has come to my attention that I no longer have any use for you." Eggman stepped forward in anger.

"I knew you'd try to pull something like this!" Shadow stopped looking at the map, and focused his attention on Eggman.

"Try? Oh, no, I AM pulling something like this. You see, I used you, and I won. You, are weak, and I, am strong. You lose."

"No Shadow, it is you that loses." Eggman pulled out a switch and pressed it. "Project Alias is now under new management!" Shadow stood up.

"What!" Eggman smiled.

"You put me in control of building them, and I installed a switch that allowed me to take complete control over them anytime I want. And right now seems like a pretty good time to me, doesn't it to you?" Metal Hyper Shadow and Metal Super Sonic came in. "Now then, DESTROY SHADOW!"

"Chaos Control!" Shadow was gone in a flash. Eggman chuckled.

"Hmph, calls me weak, then flees at the sight of trouble, pathetic." Eggman called in a conference and announced his promotion to general.

"I must begin quickly, he has acted much sooner than expected." Shadow was now at a secret base, that only he and a small separate army knew of. He began walking down a hallway, soon he too was in a conference room. "Listen up, the time has come to fully activate Project Omen, Eggman has finally made his move. You know what to do." Everyone began leaving the conference room, and entering a huge hanger. In it, was an enormous shuttle, and on the shuttle was the name, ARK II. As it began to activate, the army made haste for its entrance. When everyone was on board, it took off. As it flew over the sea and land, lasers and chaos drives were being fired in every direction, what was now Eggman's army stood no chance against the newly constructed ARK II. Shadow eventually flew it over Eggman's base. "Fire the Chaos Cannon!" A small cannon slowly made its way out of the center of ARK II. When it had fully emerged, it fired a beam twelve times the cannon's size. The base was obliterated. However, a figure that looked like Eggman and Project Alias had escaped. They landed about a mile from the site. Shadow left the ARK II for a final showdown with escapers. Eggman called out with much haste.


	3. Chapter 3

"Project Alias, attack!" The two robots sped towards shadow at great velocities. Shadow moved forward and grabbed them. He then spun around several times and let go. They flew several yards and hit the rubble from Eggman's base. Metal Super Sonic came darting towards Shadow. Shadow then spun into a blade and sliced his way through. Metal Super Sonic was destroyed, yet Metal Hyper Shadow was still active.

"Chaos Control!" They both used Chaos Control rapidly, fighting through space and time. Eggman; being the scientist that he was, was taking notes on the battle, as if they were lab rats. Shadow noticed this, then threw Metal Hyper Shadow into Eggman. Shadow then looked down. His voice desperate. "Maybe Dark Hedgehog was right. You sit there, and study me, like I'm some kind of experiment. I will not allow this to continue!" Green and black colors surrounded him as he charged up his main attack. "Shadow Ball of the Ultimate!" When it fired, an enormous explosion could be seen from miles away. Sonic immediately saw this. Yet the explosion made no sound at all. Metal Hyper Shadow and Eggman were immediately destroyed. Shadow heard something.

"Now what..." As Shadow turned and was beginning to enter ARK II, he saw himself, standing in front of the entrance. "What!" It spoke to him in a calm voice.

"Hello, I am Shadow, the ultimate clone." From behind Shadow came Eggman, a person Shadow was getting tired of seeing. Eggman looked at the ruble, of which used to be Metal Hyper Shadow, and himself.

"Hmmm, I see you've destroyed my clone," Eggman looked at his clone, then at Shadow. "And met yours." Eggman was smiling again. "I must admit, had you come sooner, the clones and Project Alias would not have left before you blew everything up. You knew I'd try something sooner or later, didn't you? Or is that what you've been planning?" Shadow was smiling too.

"You figured me out." He stared at his clone, no longer smiling. "However, if you think this cheap copy can defeat me..." The clone stopped him in mid-sentence.

"Oh no, I'm no cheap copy, I'm superior in every way. And I can prove it. Chaos Control!" Shadow jumped in the air, only to be hit to the ground. He got up, breathing hard for the first time in ages.

"How did you know I was going to..." Again, the clone interrupted.

"Going to what? Move? Come now, I'm not stupid, I knew you'd try to evade me." Eggman was very pleased with the results of the first attack. Shadow stood up.

"All right, my turn." Shadow ran forward, then used Chaos Control. He appeared behind the clone and kicked him into the ground. The clone got up with not even so much as a scratch.

"You're going to have to do better than that." The clone punched Shadow into the ocean. The clone then took the battle underwater. They began struggling as every hit was unsuccessful. Shadow than jumped out of the water and caught the clone off guard.

"Shadow Ball of Destiny!" But before the attack was fired, Shadow used Chaos Control and appeared behind the clone. The attack blew half of the water out of the sea, and ended his clone's life, however; the body remained intact. He got out of the water, looking at Eggman's enraged face. "You... you killed him... you killed the genetically enhanced clone... my creation... my work..." Shadow was now laughing.

"Eggman, you're not as sneaky as you think you are. I know everything, what you did, how you did it, and why." Shadow said this as he walked towards him. Eggman stared, lost for words, Shadow continued his speech. "It's your fault Gerald had to shut down the ARK; you were afraid, afraid that I might replace you. Funny, simple jealousy caused years of destruction." Eggman looked down, obviously wanting to forget the past. "You ratted him out, and what you don't know, is that he knew it was you. He had cameras everywhere, and he saw you talking in your journal. Well, since vengeance is my specialty, I thought I might show you, that your great grandfather has a secret. The secret, of immortality." Just then, a shadow was seen against the ARK II, when it came into full view, the identity was obvious, Dr. Gerald Robotnik. He wasted no time to speak.

"Eggman, my grandson, you deserve to die for what you did to me. Now you know how I felt, when all my work was taken away from me. But, seeing as how you are my great grandson, we can work things out." As walked up to Eggman, slapped him across the face. Gerald suddenly became angry. "Don't you ever disrespect me again!" When Shadow saw him do this, he remembered something... something from long ago.

"Shadow, if you don't get this right, I'm going to launch you into space!" Shadow was lying on the floor, hopeless as Gerald yelled for what seemed like forever. "Again, run the program!" Shadow sat there, doing nothing but creating a shield, protecting him from projectiles that were being fired from various types of machines. "Cut, stop it now, stop it now!" Gerald walked up to Shadow, whispering furiously at him. "You see all those people? They came here to see you, my work, and you just sit there and embarrass me with your shields! Now start attacking or else!" Shadow looked away, angering Gerald even more. "Don't turn when I'm talking to you!" Gerald slapped him and locked him in the room. "Leave him there; he is disgrace to me and my work."

Shadow couldn't even remember Gerald letting him out. He then snapped back into reality as Gerald went up to him. He was a fool for trusting Gerald. "You did me proud, now, let's destroy this place, and begin life anew, we can..." Shadow looked up, his voice once again flat.

"No." Shadow's eyes flickered red. "An omen never forgiving." Gerald looked confused.

"What are you talking about?" Shadow uppercutted him as he flew into Eggman.

"I know now how Dark Hedgehog felt... I know why he left... I know why you erased my memory." Gerald was trying to act innocent, and repeated his question.

"What are you talking about!" Shadow's voice became more demanding.

"You, Gerald, I'm talking about you. You erased my memory so that I wouldn't run away as Dark Hedgehog did. You realized your mistake and you tried to cover it up." Gerald stood up and pulled out an emerald.

"I had hoped it wouldn't come to this. Do you see this Shadow? This is a Transfer Emerald, I invented it. It allows me to transfer my energy into a dead body, gives me full knowledge of its powers and attacks, and allows me to use all of its attributes as I see fit. But who... say... your clone?" Shadow was now confused.

"What do mean?" Gerald raised the emerald.

"Just watch." He mumbled some words as a white mist exited his now dead body, and entered Shadow's clone's. Suddenly, Shadow was hit to the floor. When he looked up; his clone was there, or rather, Gerald. "This body has been wasted... it has so much potential!" He grabbed Shadow's neck and threw him to the ground. As soon as Shadow stood up, Gerald was already next him. His hands began to glow as he punched Shadow, causing him to become buried in ruble. Gerald shoved his hand into the ground, pulled Shadow up, and threw him back on to the ground. He spoke as he slowly walked toward him for another attack. "Shadow… you may not want to hear this… but you are not, Shadow the Hedgehog." Shadow looked at him funny.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Gerald continued his accusation.

"The real Shadow died when he fell from the ARK, trying to save this stupid planet. Eggman here copied his body and DNA, and created an army of Shadow Androids. But for some unknown reason, one of them was defective, he had the real Shadow's memories, he then became hostile." Eggman now looked confused.

"How did you… how did you know I did all of that!" Gerald shook his head.

"I've been watching this planet for sometime now. When that Shadow Android disappeared, I went looking for him; I thought I may be able to use him to still destroy the world. But I was obviously mistaken, this android I speak of, is you, Shadow." Gerald threw his arm out and began choking Shadow. "It didn't have to be this way you know... you shouldn't have been poking around those security files." Shadow could hardly speak.

"You, this is not... the doctor I remember..." Shadow coughed as Gerald laughed.

"What do you mean by that?" Shadow spoke, with much difficulty.

"The doctor I remember, wanted to save humanity... not destroy it!" Gerald looked down.

"Things have changed, ever since the real Shadow died, I gave up hope in humanity. Even when the ARK was shut down, and I was said to have gone mentally insane... I still had hope, that our world would be safe. I did not want it to end like this, but you, and the rest of the androids must be destroyed, you should never have been created... Shadow... should have never been created." Gerald kept his grip tight as he looked down sadly. Shadow still had questions.

"Why must we be destroyed? You're not telling me something!" Shadow's raise in voice angered Gerald.

"Because, Maria..." Shadow's eyes widened.

"Maria? What about Maria?" Shadow felt he was getting closer to the truth. "Who is Maria? Why do I keep thinking about her?" Gerald shook his head.

"It doesn't matter, you are an android, you do not need to know. All I will say, is that she was Shadow's only friend, even I neglected him sometimes..." Gerald looked away, but quickly looked back at Shadow in anger. "But I will right my wrong! Right here, right now!" He tightened his grip. Shadow knew the conversation would not continue, he had to stop Gerald before he himself gets killed.

"You... are so... stupid..." Gerald began to laugh.

"What are you talking about?" Shadow smiled.

"This... Chaos Control!" They disappeared. Then reappeared in the remains of ARK. Gerald's grip was still as tight as ever, as he looked at the new surroundings.

"So, you chose ARK as your final resting place, makes no difference to me." Shadow for some reason was calm and confident.

"You forget something... you're in a clone's body now... and clones are powered by the Master Emerald... so what do you think happens... when I reverse that energy... using a fake emerald?" Gerald almost had a scared look on his face.

"You wouldn't, you'd destroy this whole planet!" Shadow then shoved the emerald into the clone's body, which soon caught fire. Gerald looked at the injury, than at Shadow, madder than ever. Shadow shook his head.

"Gerald, you disappoint me. I would have thought that you of all people would know that that can't happen. This place, the ARK, will hold in the explosion. The planet, will remain unharmed." Gerald became infuriated at this accurate statement.

"I don't care what you do... you will die with me!" The fire spread all over his body, then to Shadow, and soon the ARK. Shadow was hanging there, smiling, and now talking normal.

"Your time is way over due, Gerald." Explosions were going off everywhere as an automated voice came on the intercom, instructing everyone to leave the premises. Gerald still had a hold of Shadow.

"How are you smiling like that! Have you no feeling!" Gerald was now subject to incredible pain.

"I am a copy of the ultimate life form... what did you expect, a teddy bear?" The explosions were now bigger and more frequent. Gerald was looking side to side nervously.

"No, no, no, no, you are an android! I saw Shadow's dead body! You should not be this strong!" Shadow was still smiling, calm as ever. Soon the automated voice died out as the systems became fried. A giant explosion could be heard as half of the ARK blew into large fragments. Another one was then heard. "It is now time, to realize your fate, Dr. AHHHH!" Shadow transformed into Hyper Shadow. Gerald seemed to be unaffected by this.

"Your petty transformations can't save you here!" Shadow laughed out loud.

"I'm not done yet, while on my rampage, I realized that I am not to be bound by the will of others, it was at that point, when I remembered my promise to Maria, and I broke free of your control. So I thought I might do some excavating. And I found my favorite emerald. Ha ha ha ha!" Shadow transformed into Chaotica Shadow. This confused Gerald.

"You... you discovered an Elemental Emerald!" Shadow laughed at this, explosions still going off.

"Gerald, all three Elemental Emeralds were found." Gerald laughed at this.

"My dear boy, there are four Elemental Emeralds!" And with Gerald's other hand, he reached out and pressed the emergency seal off button, preventing the ARK's destruction. Slowly, the explosions died away. "What do you plan to do now?" Shadow was angered at his futile attempts to get out of here alive.

"I do not plan anything, I have no time for such foolishness. I am the defective Shadow Android, I have surpassed the expectations of the real Shadow the Hedgehog, and tonight, I shall pay punishment to you for all the pain and suffering you've caused me! The Shadow legacy ends here! Ahhhh, Chaos Blast!" Shadow unleashed the biggest Chaos Blast he had ever performed, and ARK finally exploded with a bang that the world could hear. Eggman was thrown back from the huge explosion, he stood up looking at the now demolished ARK, watching, knowing that the defective Shadow Android was dead.

"Shadow... you fool, you've left the world in my hands... all mine." He turned towards the ARK II; thinking he would take it over, but it was gone.

Eventually, everyone noticed that General Shadow's rampage was no longer a threat, and the world was slowly repopulated using the Master Emerald over a course of five long years. But no matter how hard they tried, no matter what had happened, no one would ever forget, the terrible times. Sonic disappeared shortly after. Only a lone note was found, and this is all it said. "General Shadow, is no more. However, a friend still lives." What this means, I leave to you. For I have told you exactly what I said I would, the rise and fall, of Shadow the Hedgehog.


End file.
